The Odd One Out
by BridgetWestfall96
Summary: 15 year old, Erica Fitzgerald is the black sheep of the family. Invisible to her parents and her brothers she feels alone. But, after new deputy, Lorna Hutchinson starts at Waterloo Road, Erica finds someone to confide in but, Lorna had a secret, she's searching for more than a new career...
1. Chapter 1

Background: Set in the current series 10 setting, Vaughan and Olga have three children, Justin, Leo and Erica. After Olga's breakdown all three children went to live with Vaughan. Justin is 17, Leo is 16 and Erica is 15.

**The Odd One out – Chapter 1**

(Erica's POV)

I walked up the wet street, the hood from my black raincoat pulled up and my head pulled back inside with my headphones in. I couldn't take another car journey of dad and Leo arguing about gadget confiscation and Justin pining over Kenzie.

Between Justin kicking off last term and Leo being weird this term I kind of felt invisible to my dad, I spent most of my time in my room with my headphones trying to block out the arguing. I missed my mum, we got to see her on weekends and at school but it wasn't the same.

Sometimes it just felt like I was a complete outcast in my family, everyone in my family had dark hair, dark eyes and were generally opinionated. I on the other hand had blonde hair and dark eyes and tended to keep out of the way. I didn't look like either of my parents but I guess I'd always just ignored the fact.

I knew it could happen sometimes.

I was kind of the nerd of the family and it was rare if I was seen without my computer or a book in my hand. My grades never slipped below A's yet it had become such a frequent occurrence that my parents didn't notice anymore yet my brother's got praised if they got through the day without ending up in the cooler.

I didn't really care anymore… Sometimes I wished my parents noticed more but other times it came in handy. I had nothing else to do but study, I didn't really have any hobbies and I was kind of a loner. I didn't really like being around people, I preferred being alone.

I reached school still in my own world and bumped into a girl with long brown hair and hoop earrings, annoyed she slammed her hands into my shoulders and I fell backwards onto the concrete.

"Watch where you're going swot" She said in a strong Scottish accent, before her and her friend laughed.

"Oi you two! Cooler now!" A voice shouted from further down the drive

The pair groaned in frustration but went inside.

A blonde woman approached me and helped me to my feet.

"What's your name?" She asked

I wasn't really supposed to talk to strangers but she looked like a teacher and she was on school property and she knew what the cooler was so I guessed it was okay.

"Erica" I answered

"I'm Miss Hutchinson, the new deputy head" she replied with a smile "Come on let's get you cleaned up" She motioned to my hand, which I hadn't even realised was bleeding.

She led me into dad's office which now had another desk in and pulled out a first aid kit.

(Lorna's POV)

The cut wasn't too deep but I dragged out patching her up so I could get to know her a bit more.

"So, do those girls hassle you a lot?" I asked

"Not really, it was my fault I wasn't watching where I was going, I was in my own world" She replied

She winced as I gently wiped over the cut with an antiseptic wipe.

I watched her face as she did so, she had beautiful chocolate coloured eyes and her soft face was framed by loose blonde curls just as I remembered her.

It had taken me so long to find her, I just wanted her to stay with me all day and talk. She was so sweet and kind, I wanted to hold her so tightly and never let go.

I finished dressing her hand just as the door opened and the head walked in.

"Ricky, what are you doing here?" He asked

"Oh nothing just-"

"-Good, if you see Leo tell him to come and see me" He instructed as he walked around and sat at his desk

I saw the expression on her face as her heart sank.

"Yeah dad…" She replied, before picking up her bag and turning to face me "Thanks Miss"

_A/N: So what's the big secret? How does Lorna know Erica? What trouble will the truth bring?_


	2. Chapter 2

**The odd one out – Chapter 2**

(Lorna's POV)

"Mum! Mum!"

I stood at the bottom of the steps looking up as Erica shouted and ran down the stairs; I smiled widely as she came towards me… Then ran straight past me and into the waiting arms of Olga Fitzgerald. That should have been me.

I couldn't help but feel jealous as I watched the two interact, the way they hugged, the way they talked, every touch was special, and I could see the clear admiration in Erica's eyes for her _mother._

I wanted to tell her so badly but looking at them, maybe it was best if I didn't? She had a real family, a mum, dad, brothers, probably even a pet and what did I have to offer her? Just me. Maybe she was better off with them.

(Erica's POV)

Everyone was too busy to notice me, unless it was Justin or Leo they didn't care. Well I wasn't going to mope anymore; I was going to have some fun. I was sick of being an angel. When the bell rung for third period I didn't go to class, instead I went to the bike cages.

Scott Fairchild always hung out there; I don't think he ever went to class.

"Hey" I said as I approached him, trying not to sound scared

"What do you want?" He asked in a strong Scottish accent

"I wanna buy some stuff"

"Yeah right, your Fitzgerald's kid. Do I look stupid to you?"

"I'm not gonna grass, I swear"

"Stop wasting my time" He said, walking past me and nearly out of the cage

I grabbed his arm and he shrugged me off, annoyed and turned to face me.

"Please Scott, I just wanna let go… I won't tell anyone. It's not like they'd listen anyway. Please…" I pleaded

He thought for a minute, biting his lip but in more of a taunting way than nervous.

"You got cash?" He asked

I nodded.

"Do you even know what to do with it?"

I nodded.

It wasn't strictly true but I was sure I could google it.

"Cash first" He demanded

I handed him a roll of a few twenty pound notes, which he slipped into his pocket.

He handed me a small bag of white powder and a syringe.

"Enjoy it while it lasts" Scott said "Laters"

Then he disappeared.

I hurried inside and made my way to the girl's toilet making sure that I didn't get seen along the way. Then I locked myself in a cubicle and sat down on the floor with my back pressed against the wall.

(Lorna's POV)

I was so glad when the bell rang for the end of period three, that meant it was the end of my teaching classes and I had the rest of the day to catch up on the mountain of paperwork that was growing on my desk.

I was bursting for the toilet and had been for about the last twenty minutes, so I grabbed my handbag and my files and hurried off to dump them on my desk before I headed to the toilets. I'd just finished washing my hands when I noticed a shoe sticking out from under one of the doors.

I knocked on the door gently.

"Hello? Are you alright?" I asked

No reply.

"Can you open the door?" I asked

Still no answer.

I walked into the cubicle next door and slipped off my heels climbing up on to the closed toilet seat. This was either going to be really embarrassing for both parties or helpful, at the moment I was guessing the first.

I looked over the top of the cubicle wall to see Erica slumped on the floor against the wall. Her shirt sleeve was rolled up and she had her tie wrapped around the top of her arms. A syringe was lying on the floor next to her lifeless body.

I quickly climbed up on to the back of the toilet and over the side dropping down into the cubicle with Erica and unlocked the door pulling her out of the cubicle and putting her on her side.

She was pale and her breathing was shallow, I quickly fumbled for my phone which I soon realised I'd left in the office. I rushed out into the corridor and found the nearest pupil.

"Lenny! Go and get Mr Fitzgerald and tell Sonya to ring an ambulance, quick!" I barked the instructions at him

Then I went back into the toilets and knelt down beside her, rubbing her back softly.

"It's okay baby, you're going to be okay"


	3. Chapter 3

**The Odd One out – Chapter 3**

(Erica's POV)

I couldn't remember much, I just remembered going into the toilets with the drugs and then the next thing I knew I woke up on the floor in the toilets with people crowded around me. There were two paramedics, Miss Hutchinson, my dad and my mum. I had a mask on my face.

"Ricky!" Mum gasped as she rushed to my side, holding my face in her hands "What on earth were you thinking?"

"Clearly she wasn't" Dad added

It was like that all the way to the hospital, I was glad when Miss Hutchinson tagged along to kind of break up the arguing. The doctor said I was very lucky but I was fine and said I could go home as long as I was supervised. He kept asking again and again if I'd done it to try and kill myself seeing as though I wasn't a drug user and despite my denial he didn't really believe me.

I had to sit through a psychiatric assessment, being judged and watched and scrutinised.

"If you didn't do it to try and end your life and you don't use drugs, why did you do it?"

I sighed, the only way out was to tell the truth. It was confidential anyway.

"I feel invisible, everything's about my brother's, I've been getting grief at school… I just wanted to escape the world for a bit"

(Olga's POV)

We were asked to wait outside while Ricky saw the psychiatrist; I sat in the corridor beside Lorna while Vaughan had gone to get some coffees. I hadn't really understood why Lorna was so adamant to come to the hospital until now. She sat there in the chair beside me looking like any normal worried mother. Then it clicked.

"You're her. Aren't you?" I asked

As I looked at her face, her brown eyes, her hair, her chin… Everything confirmed my fears.

"Sorry?" She asked

"You're Erica's birth mum. Aren't you?"

She nodded softly.

"What the hell are you doing in Greenock? Have you come to take her? We send you pictures, progress updates… Is that not enough? She's not a toy you can't give her away and reclaim her whenever you feel like it!" I snapped upset

"I'm not here to take her away; I just want to get to know her"

"We don't always get what we want" I told her

"Listen, I gave Erica away because I wanted what was best for her. I wanted her to have a chance at a proper family. But, look at the state she's in?" Lorna replied

"How dare you! How is this our fault?"

"Are you serious? You just ignore her! When Justin and Leo are around that's all that matters"

"That's not true" I told her

"I've seen it with my own eyes"

Just then the door opened and Erica walked out into the corridor.

"Doctor says I can go" She said

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders pulling her away from Lorna.

"Come on then sweetheart, let's go and find dad and then we can get you settled at home" I smiled

"What about Miss Hutchinson?" She asked, innocently

"She's already rung a taxi to go home" I said, I met Lorna's eyes and she knew what I meant by 'home'.

"Oh, okay… I'll see you tomorrow then" Ricky said and she pulled away from me briefly, hugging Lorna tightly "Thanks Miss"

I pulled her away, the hurt rising inside me. "Come on, we need to go"

I hurried down the corridor with Ricky at my side.

No way was she taking MY daughter away from me.

(Erica's POV)

When we got home my parents were acting weird. Mum had tucked me up on the sofa with my quilt and had given me free reign of the TV; she was even letting me eat chocolate before tea, which was of course my favourite… pasta bake. Justin and Leo were being forced to do all the chores and even dad had stopped working.

Mum seemed kind of stressed but she was really trying to hide it. Something wasn't right, I knew it.

However, it was nice to feel noticed for once, to feel like my parents cared about me.

Dad came over and picked up my legs before sitting down and letting them rest in his lap.

"What are we watching?"

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"What?" He asked

"No lecture? No punishment? Detention? Suspension?" I asked

"I'll sort that stuff when you're back at school, right now I'm just your dad and I want to make sure you're okay" He said softly

It had been a while since dad had seen the roles of head teacher and dad as two separate things, it was nice. I liked it.

"The Conjuring" I told him

"You sure it won't give you nightmares" He chuckled

"I'm 15 not 5" I told him

He smiled and held out one arm, I snuggled into him quickly before he changed his mind and he tucked my quilt around me.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Odd One out – Chapter 4**

(Erica's POV)

I didn't sleep much that night, I could hear the footsteps every hour or so when someone would come and check on me. I climbed out of bed pulled on my dressing gown and stumbled sleepily into the kitchen where I got a bowl out of the cupboard and made myself some cereal. Everyone was arguing, the radio was on and dad was messing with his tie. Things were back to normal.

"Dad… I don't feel like going to school today…" I said

"Justin, hurry up! We've got a therapy session this morning!" Dad shouted up the stairs

"DAD!" I shouted

Everyone fell silent until just the radio was playing quietly in the background.

"I don't want to go in today…" I said quieter

"Well tough Ricky, there's no one to look after you we have to go to work. Get dressed we need to leave soon" Mum replied

I sighed deeply before getting up and going to my room. My parents went back to arguing with Leo about his computer and it was like I didn't exist all over again.

I quickly got dressed in my black skinny jeans, shirt, blazer and black converse shoes. I quickly brushed my hair into a ponytail, brushed my teeth and grabbed my black rucksack rushing downstairs.

"Come on Ricky get in the car" Dad said

"I'm going to walk today; I could use the fresh air"

"No you're not; we've got a session, car."

I was the youngest and the shortest so I drew the short straw of going in the middle. I had to listen to Justin and Leo bickering all the way to school. I was so glad when I got out the car. Our parents ushered us to dad's office where the counsellor was already waiting.

"So sorry we're late" Dad apologised

I took a seat and tried to turn invisible.

"How are you this week Leo?" The counsellor asked

"Why are you asking me all the time? It's supposed to be family therapy. Justin's far from perfect; he's got a different girlfriend every week. Dad can't leave work at work, mums on the verge of another breakdown and Ricky tried to off herself yesterday!" Leo blurted out

"I didn't" I told her but she didn't seem too convinced

"Okay, so you're a junkie then, whatever" Leo threw back

"You're just grumpy because you can't play your stupid game anymore! Get a life Leo" I told him

"It's not stupid and I might have a slight gaming problem but at least I don't do heroin!"

I stood up and walked out. That was it. I pushed through the crowds on the corridors, I found the nearest empty classroom and slipped inside, sliding down the back of the door to the floor and letting the tears flow.

I hadn't been crying long when I heard a familiar click of heels on the floor and then suddenly a warm pair of arms wrapped around me. I buried my face in the scent of perfume and I couldn't control the tears anymore. I couldn't remember the last time I'd cried, I always felt like I had to keep my true feelings hidden for some reason but this was different.

I felt… safe.

(Lorna's POV)

I didn't know the right things to do, with students it was different. But, Erica wasn't just a student and I didn't know if that meant I should do something different. I wasn't sure what to say to her so I just held her close to my chest and let her cry out whatever had upset her.

We were there a while before she calmed down enough to pull away slightly and look at me.

"I'm sorry…" She sniffled

I cupped her face in my hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs gently, giving her a soft smile.

"What are you sorry for?" I asked

"Being a mess" She said quietly

"You're not a mess…" I reassured her "What are you doing in school after yesterday?"

"Mum said there was no one to look after me"

I actually couldn't believe it. If it was me I'd have put her before work, before anything yet they'd forced her to come in because work was more important.

"Why don't I take you home? I've got a free day and you look like you could do with some sleep" I offered

She gave me a small smile. "Thanks Miss"

I helped her up off the floor and gave her a tissue so she could compose herself before we braved the corridors.

_A/N: How do you think Olga and Vaughan are going to react when they get home to find Lorna in their house?_


End file.
